from the West Country!

So I've had a more interesting time than I'd like, but lets do things in order.

After looking at the weather forecast, I decided to shuffle things around a bit so Thursday I did shopping then on Friday I set off for a ride down the coast to Weston. Of course, with most people now back at work /school it was a bit quieter than of late so I was able to get sausage and chips with a seat on the seafront. It was a nice enough day, low wind, warm and sunny, that I decided to head back via Wells across the levels.

I stopped for my sandwiches and ice cream at the Cathedral then headed back over the Mendips to add 130km to my score for the year.

Having been out on Friday I moved the Saturday ride to Sunday and instead spent time preparing the 2nd edition of book 15 for release, it should be available now.

I had a plan for Sunday's ride and I set off a little earlier than usual for the Severn Bridge and a ride along to Cardiff. I had worked out a fairly flat route taking in a windmill near Caldicote and a look at the Transporter Bridge in Newport. Photos at the first and a ride across the river at the second and indecently quickly I found myself in Cardiff for my lunch stop by the castle. Fifty miles down so a similar distance back?

A couple of showers marred my exit from the Welsh capital but then I was through Newport and speeding along the A48 to Chepstow where I stopped for pop and ice cream. Back over the 'big' river and instead of the direct route I decided on a longer loop down to Avonmouth and back via the city centre. By now it was a gorgeous The Portway alongside the Avon, which was spectacularly low, there's the Clifton Bridge, the 'suicide tunnel' and then BANG, instead of emerging into the sunlight I was on the floor in a tangle of Maddy and bike!

Once I'd got my breath back, I checked for anything broken, apparently nothing beyond scrapes & dents to me or the bike so I remounted to complete a final 10km to base, 107 miles in total. However, those last miles revealed extra hurts beyond the bloodied limbs, something seriously amiss with my left shoulder and possibly my right hand which made controlling the bike 'interesting' to say the least. It was clear that I needed medical attention, my host taxied me to A&E and I settled in for a long evening.

You don't need a blow by blow, I was X-rayed, de-gritted and to everyone's surprise found to have come through the incident without breaking anything. Breaking no but I've damaged the ligaments in my shoulder, the pain is intense, I'm not one for popping pills but strong painkillers are currently my best friend! So there we are, all I can do for now is wear a sling and wait for things to settle down, riding is obviously out atm, well leaving the house full stop as I'm reliving Drew wearing skirts after bike accidents, the skirt isn't a problem but I can't actually wear more than a cardi wrapped around my top!

I've uploaded you a couple of chapters, Summer Girl 29, Happy Birthday and Avoidance 4, Retail Therapy.

That's it for now
Maddy